Elderly people and a new dog. What's the best thing to do?

[Ormirian]

My parents are both 80 this year. Dad is more or less hale and hearty although not capable of the 10 mile walks he used to do a few years ago. Their aged JRT is on his last legs sadly - incontinent, losing his sight and hearing and getting quite short-tempered. I suspect it won't be long before he has to be PTS. It will break dad's heart - not to mention mine and the DCs .

Dad has never been without a dog since he was a small child. I don't know how he'll cope without one but mum has said that when this one goes they can't have another one as they will be too old and 'anything happens to them' the dog will be homeless. The obvious solution to that is for us to take the dog when needed - we have discussed having a dog ourselves but so far the cons slightly outweight the pros. If it meant that dad could have a dog in his last years that would outweigh the cons considerably.

But how well would that work? Would any dog happily transplant to a new home with cats and children, a smaller garden and owners out most of the day? He'd get lots of love and exercise when we were there. Can it work?

Could they foster an older dog? It won't need as much walking as a younger dog and if anything did happen the dog would be re-fostered or taken back to the rescue. Plus they get help with vets fees etc.

But yes, if you took the dog to your house often and trained and socialised it with your cats and children it would most likely fit in.

Thanks dooin - I was thinking of an older dog not a puppy. Too much effort all round for them I think.

They could take on an older dog. I have a friend that only takes in oldies who stand little chance of getting a home elsewhere. She gets immense satisfaction from giving an older dog a comfortable, loving home for it's final years plus it suits her 'advancing years' to not have active, bouncy youngsters around that require lots of exercise. She has never found any real difficulty with settling an oldie into a new environment where there are other dogs/cats etc.

Check out www.oldies.org.uk/ who specialise in finding homes for older dogs.

Ex racing greyhounds make very good pets too. They don't require lots of exercise (contrary to popular belief) and are more than happy to be couch potatoes. Greyhounds are genrally gentle souls athough cats can be an issue for obvious reasons. Can be ideal for people who may have diffulty bending to pet/clip lead on etc with small dogs as they are tall but slight.

Oh my lord there are some lovely dogs there lucy. Many thanks for that link. One perfect JRT who would suit us down the ground...but that would defeat the object.

Unfortunately you will have to search for your rescue carefully - many rescues will not rehome to older people. Maybe Val will be able to help

Really? OK I guess that makes sense.

Another voter here for fostering. Greyhound addict but greys are a surprisingly sensible choice for elderly people especially if the dog itself is a bit elderly. A dear friend in her 70s has just lost her 15 year old lurcher who was a long term foster from the Dogs Trust - they paid all his vets bills but she looked after him, along with her own greyhound.

The charity I volunteer for would also welcome a "senior" foster home like your parents - we often get older dogs that have never lived in kennels because their owners are ill, have died or are going into residential care - a couple like your parents would be perfect.

Oldies website already mentioned -

A bit of Googling of your local rescues would be useful - these days most have websites explaining their policies, but I honestly can't think of a SINGLE rescue I know that would turn down your parents for fostering - subject to the usual homecheck of course, purely on the basis of age. Our own charity would certainly consider adoption - for the right dog, and especially if it was an older one. To be honest, many rescues that are smaller would be happy to be flexible if they could see a really good home going - would consider long term fostering for instance, or have a buddy nearby set up who could take the dogs in event of illness/bereavement.

Definately a case where there are lots of options.

That sounds good scuttle. Thankyou. I'd love a lurcher - actually I want a wolf-hound but think I need a big castle with a huge open fire and stone floors for one of those.

But poor old Giz is still with us so better not be too premature

They could also be a long term foster home for a dog from the Cinnamon Trust. They are always looking for the right homes for older dogs who have lost their owners and also cover the vet bills.

I have two beautiful lurchers from them.

Thanks vjg - some of those stories made me weep a little Sounds a good option to look into.

Am so glad Vjg mentioned Cinnamon Trust (one of my favourite charities). Don't know if it is just me, but every time I get the newsletter, I have to disappear upstairs with it and invariably get through a pile of hankies - it always has me in bits, usually while cuddling our oldest grey.